Princess of Silence
by Okaeri-Kairi
Summary: For the past one hundred years, Hyrule has fallen into decline. Without a ruler, the country has become nothing more than a smattering of clans and villages hidden in secluded corners of the continent, all with their own traditions and authority. This is the Hyrule that Princess Zelda has inherited: a wild, torn land, filled with nothing but wind and strife.
1. Prologue - Dawn of a New Day

"So. It is done."

Link didn't answer, his blue eyes fixed on the dilapidated castle in front of them, his expression weary.

Zelda studied his features, her emotions a whirl of confusion. She didn't know what to feel. For over a century, her thoughts had been focused on defeating Ganon, on banishing the evil that destroyed her country and killed all the people she loved. But now, now that the Calamity was gone, she had no idea what was expected of her. She didn't even know what she wanted to do. She was the Princess of Hyrule, the only living descendant of the Goddess Hylia herself, and all she could think of was the fact that she was, in a small, selfish way, happy to be alive.

But was it even appropriate to feel happiness, after all the lives that had been lost?

She couldn't say.

 _At least... At least I'm not alone,_ she thought to herself, and it comforted her, even if it was followed by guilt. Link would follow her no matter what she did now, she had no doubt about it. She would give him a choice, of course, but the boy was devoted and brave. No matter how tired, he would continue to walk with her until his feet wore away, until his wounds bled out.

He'd done it before, and she knew he would do it again. He was a Knight of Hyrule, the truest of them all, blessed and chosen by Hylia and the Master Sword themselves.

But she knew he was tired; he was only mortal, after all, and he'd done so much for her, for her country and the world. If she were a better person, perhaps she could have set him free.

If she were a better person. But Zelda still needed Link, in more ways than one.

She wasn't sure she would ever be able to set him free. She wasn't sure she wanted to.

"Let's go," she said quietly, turning away from the castle, turning away from the nightmare that was finally over. Link hesitated but followed all the same.

"Princess... Where will we go now?" his warm, serious voice asked as they walked.

"Forward," Zelda replied, sounding far more assured than she felt.

* * *

The bed was warm, softer than anything Zelda had ever slept in. She was sure her bed in the castle had once been more luxurious, but she found she could barely remember it.

 _I must be even more tired than I thought,_ she mused, burying her face in the pillow. _I never want to get up._

"Princess."

She almost groaned aloud.

"What is it, Link?" she muttered, eyes still firmly closed.

"Dinner is ready."

"I'm not hungry."

Silence.

"You haven't eaten in a hundred years, Princess."

 _I haven't thrown something at you in a hundred years, either._

"I'll eat later."

"... There won't be anything left later."

She opened one eye to glare at him. He was standing somewhat sheepishly at her bedside, hands behind his back. He'd always been a glutton.

"Link, I forbid you from eating everything by yourself," she ordered. He winced and seemed to wilt under her gaze a little.

"But... it tastes better when it's hot..." he muttered. Zelda pressed the bridge of her nose tiredly.

"Fine, I'll be right there," she sighed. He brightened up like a puppy almost immediately and her annoyance melted away. She was sore all over, and exhausted enough to sleep for a millennium, but seeing her knight still eager to serve after a battle like theirs gave her some of her energy back.

 _We can restore Hyrule on our own,_ she assured herself as she left the stable inn to join Link outside. _It won't be easy, but... if Link is there, I'm sure we'll find a way._

* * *

When the world later threatened to crash around her ears, Zelda could have cursed her own naivete.

* * *

 **Notes:**

I'm a historian, OF COURSE I was gonna write a political restoration fic at some point. Though, it's just an introduction for now.

I'm running like crazy to finish a ton of serials and one-shots so I don't have an update schedule planned just yet. When the next chapter goes up, hopefully I'll have a better grasp on how to manage six serial fics at once (cries). I don't drop stories, so don't worry about any of my other works being ignored or dropped.

As always, reviews are appreciated! I love hearing your thoughts!


	2. The Moorlands

The grass swayed gently in the morning breeze, a rippling green wave across the hills. The air smelled crisp and sweet, nothing like the foul corruption of Hyrule Castle. It was only in hindsight that Zelda could recognize just how accustomed she'd become to the stench. Here, free from the rot, the difference was astonishing. She took a deep breath, savoring the freshness as she stretched her arms out like a Rito before flight.

"You're awake early, princess."

She flinched, embarrassed at having been caught in such a childish gesture. Link was sitting on his bedding, cross-legged and bare-chested, watching her with curious and gentle eyes.

Zelda could feel her face burn red at his gaze.

"If you're up, you should say so, Link!" she said churlishly, turning her back away from the little camp on the hill. In Zelda's opinion, calling it a camp was a bit ridiculous; it was nothing more than two hand-stitched pieces of bedding, a small fire, and a tether for Link's horse. There was a makeshift sort of tarp angled over the fire to protect from sudden rain, but it was otherwise the saddest, most basic little settlement she had ever seen.

"Apologies, I only just woke," he said, flashing her a small, friendly smile, completely oblivious to her discomfort. "Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, still avoiding his eyes as she busied herself with her bag. "I slept alright... though it was a bit cold."

His expression grew serious at once.

"Forgive me for suggesting we sleep in the open, Princess Zelda," he said. "It won't happen again. Next time I'll make sure we stop at a proper inn or stable-"

"No, no!" she said hastily. "Don't worry, it wasn't that bad! I mean, a real bed is more comfortable, but I know the horse was tired after carrying us both all day. It wasn't your fault."

"But-"

"It's fine," she repeated firmly. "I'll just buy a thicker quilt at the next stable."

There was an awkward sort of silence and Zelda realized she'd made a naive assumption once again.

"Oh. We don't have much money, do we?" she asked quietly as she looked up at him. Link grimaced and shook his head.

"Only enough for one night at an inn and the price to board the horse."

"I see."

She sat at the edge of her bedding, staring out over the wild, green expanse of what was once Hyrule Field. It was still called that, but it hardly resembled the cultivated meadows of her youth; the moors were overgrown and nearly completely deserted of Hylian presence. Ruins dotted the landscape as far as the eye could see.

"The world has changed much in these past hundred years, hasn't it?" she mused. "I could see some of it... in a way. But it's entirely different in person. I can't imagine how anyone survived in this wilderness."

"We manage," Link noted, turning to roll up his quilt. "Hyrule isn't the same, but people managed to live here anyway."

"Yes, that much I know," she said, her tone softer as she watched him work. Zelda found it very hard not to appreciate the toned muscles in his arms and chest, but any embarrassment she she normally would have felt from looking at him was dashed by the sight of all the prominent scars on his skin. They were numberless, a series of gashes and jagged lines to serve as proof of Link's hard work over the many years it took to become the swordsman he was now. She couldn't help feeling a bit of guilt, and humility as well.

"There's not many of us left, mind," he said as he tied the quilt with a piece of twine. "Less than ten proper settlements and cities survived the Calamity. Still, the ones who are still here are a tough lot, if experience serves. I don't remember too well what it was like before, but now every Hylian I've met knows how to rough a night or two while traveling. Money and commodities are in small supply, but everyone adapted as best as they could."

"I suppose that makes sense," she sighed. "It must be difficult. There's no government to issue coin, or to preserve the roads... No one protecting the people."

"Every clan takes care of itself now, for better or worse," he said, stretching out his limbs. He rummaged a bit in the saddlebags until he found a woolen doublet and pulled it over his head, his hair crackling slightly with static electricity as he did.

Zelda giggled as the golden hair stuck up at odd angles. "You look like an idiot, Link."

"Eh?" He reached through his hair, trying to feel the damage. He turned around aimlessly for a moment before he turned back to his mistress, abashed.

"Uhm, we don't have a mirror..."

She laughed at his expression. "Of course we don't. Come here," she said, gesturing over at him. He hesitated for a moment before moving to her side. It only struck her how casually intimate the moment was when her fingers were already running through the strands. She'd never touched Link so easily before, or in such an invasive way; he was her knight, not her friend. They'd been through a lot together, the princess of Goddess-blood and the chosen knight of the Sword, but theirs had always been a proud, sacred sort of bond. Fixing one another's bed hair seemed awfully... base. Uncultured. Not done.

But Link didn't say anything. He let Zelda, a royal princess, comb through his rather battered hair with her bare hands as if aware that the moment could be made unpleasant for them both if he made any comment. She was thankful for it, if only because she found that she rather liked the quiet closeness of it all, the trust and intimacy between them that would disappear like the wind as soon as she was done.

* * *

Link was a man of fairly few words.

It was a habit he'd honed long ago, or so he'd been told. In truth, he couldn't really recall all the details, but it seemed as though his younger self was very conscious of his status as a royal knight and tried his best to be as serious as his calling. Even after being resurrected, he hadn't found too many opportunities to talk often. He had, after all, been traveling alone for months across the vast, wild land of Hyrule. When he did meet people, he rarely had time to linger and get to know them before he had to be off again.

That changed when Princess Zelda returned.

He wasn't used to being in someone's company, especially not every day and night without cease. The princess wasn't talkative, exactly, but they did converse a fair bit, and Link found that he couldn't fathom how he had ever managed to speak so little in her presence. She was too interesting to avoid speaking with, and she seemed to be dying for companionship after all those years in Ganon's hold; Link didn't have the heart to deny her that. But there were times like that morning, with her hands in his hair and his heart in his throat out of sheer nervousness that he thought he might have understood why he'd tried to keep his distance from her, all those years ago.

 _She isn't like Mipha,_ he reminded himself as they finished packing up camp. His memories of the Zora princess were a little clearer than most, perhaps because she had been his childhood friend. Link had grown up amongst the Zora of Lanayru, his father having been stationed in Zora's Domain for most of his childhood. He and Mipha, as well as several other local children, had spent summers swimming down the river, hours sliding down the waterways, quiet evenings stargazing. They had all been close, but Mipha had been special, that much Link remembered.

 _Inseparable, that's what Father always said,_ he thought vaguely as he tied the bundles to his horse's pack. Mipha may have been a princess, but she was first and foremost his friend. That they were close was a given. Princess Zelda wasn't like that. They'd met much later, when Link had become a knight himself, and their relationship was... different. What he could recall was vague, but enough to give him a fair idea of the somewhat complicated ties between them.

 _Yes, she isn't like Mipha at all,_ he thought as he watched her poring over the map from the corner of his eye.

* * *

"Kakariko seems so much further now than it did in the past."

She had mostly spoken to herself, her hands on the reins as the horse clopped along the path slowly as Link walked at her side. They'd ridden together a few times to speed things up, but the horse tired so quickly with their combined weight that they'd had to slow their pace and take turns riding. In truth, Zelda was glad for it. It was awkward beyond belief, sitting with Link's arms around her midriff in order to grasp the reins. She was sure she would die if they had to ride like that for much longer.

"The road from the castle is no longer usable," Link replied. "There are many monsters and bandits in that area. It's safest to pass through the Dueling Peaks instead."

"Yet another thing to fix, eventually," she sighed, gazing at the distant mountains on the horizon. She knew they were slowly making progress, but it was maddening to see those peaks taunting her, looking no closer no matter how far they went. "Say, Link, perhaps I should get a horse of my own."

There was a moment of silence and then a strange sort of muffled sound. It took Zelda a second to understand that Link had just repressed a laugh.

"And just what is so funny?!" she demanded. "I can ride a horse! I'm doing it right now!"

"No, no, that's not what I..." he began, but for some reason he burst into outright guffaws. She could hardly believe his cheek.

"You're terrible!" she cried. She was suddenly incredibly self-conscious of her seat; perhaps all those years had made her lose her skill.

"Oh, gods, no, just... wait a minute," he managed to say as he tried to regain his composure. He cleared his throat. "Ahem... sorry about that, Princess. I wasn't making fun of you, I promise. It's just... getting a horse is a lot easier said than done, nowadays."

"I don't understand," she frowned at him. "What's so difficult?"

"Well... you can't just... you know, buy a horse."

She was about to tell him that surely there were merchants _somewhere_ when it struck her again that they lacked the funds even if there were.

"Oh. They must be very expensive..."

Link looked like he wanted to laugh again but managed to keep a straight face at a glance from her.

"Ah, well, no, that's not quite the problem..." he said slowly. "Horses are caught. I haven't met a single merchant with a horse since I woke up; they're a little dangerous to catch considering that they tend to be found in places with large monster presences, so not too many people like to risk going out to catch one."

"Wouldn't that mean that people would want to sell them?" she asked, confused. "Rarity means a high price, doesn't it?"

"Well, yes, but no one really has that kind of money. If anyone really needs a horse, they'll risk catching one."

"I don't see what's so amusing about that."

"It's... not really _amusing,"_ Link coughed slightly. "Just... I imagined you trying to catch a horse is all... my apologies, princess."

"How rude! Are you insinuating that I can't do it?!"

"No, I didn't-"

"Link, I've never been so insulted in my _life!"_ she said angrily. Before he could stop her, she snapped the reins and goaded the horse into a gallop. "You can walk to the next stable, you insensitive lout!" she called back over her shoulder.

"Princess! Wait!"

She ignored him, letting the horse follow the beaten path on its own.

* * *

There was something wonderful about riding through the fields alone. The wind tossed her hair and the horse's mane every which way, and for a good while Zelda just felt like laughing aloud in delight as they rode. It was only about half an hour after they left Link behind that it occurred to her that she _could,_ if she wanted to. There was no one to scold her, no one to judge or to be embarrassed in front of. Here, on the moor, she wasn't a princess at all, and the thought was so freeing and frightening that she could almost imagine herself riding out into the vast unknown, never to return.

Almost. Her sense of pride and duty was too strong to entertain that thought for too long.

But she did laugh. Her voice echoed oddly over the land, bounding along like the horse as she spurred it on, free like the sky itself.

She had only the vaguest idea of where she was headed, but she couldn't care less.

It was only when the horse finally tired out and slowed to a gentle walk that she looked around out of habit, her cheeks red with the cool, brisk air, her hair an utter windswept disaster.

"Link! Link, did you see-" she began, but of course he wasn't there. Her heart, already racing with excitement, seemed to catch.

It had never occurred to her how lonely freedom could be, even in small dosages.

 _I want to go home,_ came the childish thought, and she was so unnerved as she turned the horse on the road that she didn't even realize that she was thinking of Link as her home, and not the castle ruin they'd long left behind.

* * *

 **Notes:** I had this chapter mostly written since ages ago, but my friend has been playing BotW recently so I finally found the strength to overcome my flu and put the finishing touches on it. I did my best. oTL


End file.
